It might not be readily apparent to look at me, but I'm a bit of a mall expert.
It's not that I have any great interest in shopping - in fact, it's quite the opposite - but for the better part of four decades I have spent an incalculable amount of time in these retail jungles.
The only boy out of six kids, I had logged plenty of mall hours by the time I met my wife, who was more than happy to learn I had already been broken in.
Forgive me if I don't want to relive all my experiences, but it's safe to say I have read newspapers on benches, in food courts and in parking lots of more malls than I care to remember.
Why am I telling you this, you ask? It's because there's been much discussion recently about the two massive malls the Tsawwassen First Nation has on the drawing board, particularly with respect to whether they are viable enterprises in a community not really known for its shopping.
From what I've seen so far - and remember, I'm a mall expert - I think these ventures have a bright outlook.
First off, the TFN has partnered with some heavyweights in the commercial real estate field, companies that certainly know their way around the block. If they were proposing your average suburban mall, I'd say the prospects wouldn't be great, but by creating a destination, one that has the ability to attract shoppers from throughout the Lower Mainland and beyond, they have a business model that works.
You only have to look south of the line to see it in practice. Seattle Premium Outlets is, despite its name, actually north of Everett, which is north of Lynnwood, which is north of Seattle. In other words, it's out in the boonies, but you wouldn't be able to tell that by the number of cars in the parking lot.
Mind you, if you're headed to Seattle for a little shopping, I prefer the SuperMall of the Great Northwest, which is equally removed from the downtown core in the southern suburb of Auburn, but is just one tantalizing exit away from Emerald Downs racetrack.
A mall, like a lot of things, will flourish in a remote location if it offers something that's not readily available in the marketplace. At first blush, it appears Tsawwassen Mills, in particular, and Tsawwassen Commons plan to do just that.
With nothing quite like them at the moment in Greater Vancouver, they have the ability to carve out a lucrative niche. The one blessing, as far as I can see, is they're close enough my wife can get there on her own.
